Table of Contents
This page contains sections explaining how to view and understand your award offer, including the necessary next steps in confirming and receiving your awards and understanding the terms and conditions that apply to the awards.
- Viewing Your Award Using MySSU
- Accepting/Declining Your Student Loans and Federal Work Study
- Using the Award Package Page to Accept/Decline Awards
- PLUS (Parent) Loan
- Reinstating a Declined Loan or Increasing and Accepted Loan
- Declining a Loan That Has Disbursed
- Declining Your Entire Award Offer
- Using Your Eligibility Summary to Review the Student Budget
- Necessary Next Steps to Confirm and Receive Awards
- Enrollment Conditions and Disbursement Requirements
Viewing Your Award Using MySSU
Step 1: Log in to MySSU
Log in to MySSU through SSU Online Services using your Seawolf username and password. For instructions on setting up your access or retrieving a forgotten password, please visit our section How Do I Start Using MySSU? on our Using MySSU webpage.
If you have received an Award Letter in the mail or you have been notified of an award offer through email, and this is your first time viewing your financial aid information, you should review your award and eligibility information through the View Financial Aid link as opposed to the Accept/Decline Awards link. You will miss important information if you skip the View Financial Aid link.
Newly Admitted Students
If MySSU connects you to a page titled “Student Applicant Center,” click the “View Financial Aid” link.
If MySSU connects you to a page titled "Student Center," click the Student Center link. Scroll down to the Finances section and click the View Financial Aid link.
Other Students
Click the Student Center link, then scroll down to the Finances section and click the View Financial Aid link.
Step 2: Navigate to Your Award Summary Page
On the Select Aid Year to View page, select the appropriate Aid Year to view your awards. After you click the appropriate aid year, you will be directed to the Award Summary page.
The Aid Year section at the top of the page shows your academic year award amounts.
The Terms section in the middle of the Award Summary page shows your awards broken down by academic terms, like Fall and Spring.
If you're a New Admit to SSU, the Shopping Sheet/College Financing Plan link shows your financial aid award information and estimated costs in a standard format that is being used by many colleges and universities. If you have financial aid award offers from other schools that provide the Shopping Sheet/College Financing Plan, comparing them might help you decide which school is most affordable for you.
Each section also contains links that provide you with additional information, explained below:
- Eligibility Summary
- Contains information you will use to confirm certain assumptions we made when we constructed your award offer. Additional information can be found in the Using Your Eligibility Summary to Review the Student Budget section of this page.
- Accept/Decline Awards
- You must accept or decline your student loans and/or work-study award. Additional information can be found in the Accepting/Declining Your Student Loans and Federal Work-Study section of this page.
- View Scheduled Disbursement Dates
- Displays loan fees and scheduled disbursement date information. The scheduled disbursement date listed will be the earliest date scheduled for the term. Your actual disbursement date may be later than the earliest date. Processing of financial aid disbursements (including Direct Deposit) and production and mailing of financial aid refund checks take time—at the earliest, students generally receive their refund checks near the first day of school each semester. However, be prepared to pay for books, supplies, and personal items out of pocket in case your refund check is delayed.
- Loan Details
- Provides information on the processing status of your Direct Loans. This link appears when we submit your loan request to the Direct Loan processor (beginning in July for the Fall semester).
- View Declined Awards and/or View Canceled Awards
- These links only appear after we have processed a request to decline an award, we have cancelled an award, or you have chosen to decline a student loan or work-study award.
Accepting/Declining Your Student Loans and Federal Work-Study
Federal Direct Loans, and Federal Work-Study MUST be accepted by you using the Accept/Decline Awards link in order to initiate required processing and to make funds available to you once school starts.
The Accept/Decline Awards link appears in the middle and bottom of the Award Summary page, and takes you to the Award Package page where you can accept or decline student loans and work-study.
Using the Award Package Page to Accept/Decline Awards
Not all financial aid awards can be accepted/declined using the Award Package page. Most grants are automatically accepted.
Most awards have links to an Award Detail page that explains what action you need to take in order to receive the award. Be sure to follow the steps below:
- Click on each award link to go to the Award Detail page, which gives you important information about the award and any required steps that you must take to receive the funds.
- Check the corresponding box to the right of the fund to accept or decline the award. You may also use the "accept all" and "decline all" buttons at the bottom of the page. If you make a mistake, you may uncheck the appropriate box or use the "clear all" button. If the offered amount of the loan is more than you wish to accept, you may enter a lesser amount. If you wish to accept the loan for only one semester, first accept the award and then submit a Direct Loan Change Form to our office. For work-study, you must accept the award at the amount offered and then submit a Change Notification Form (CNF) to our office to reduce the amount or change it to one semester.
- You may use the "update totals" button to recalculate the amount(s) of your accepted awards before submitting your request.
- Once you have made your selection to accept or decline awards, click "Submit." Your request will be completed at the start of the next business day. Check back after two business days to confirm your award.
The Previous Transactions link will be displayed on the Award Package page approximately two business days after you submit your first request, indicating the request has been processed by our office.
Accepting/Declining Direct Loans
If you accept your Direct Loan offer, there may be additional requirements before the loan can disburse. If you are a first-time Direct Loan borrower at SSU, check your To Do List for the Entrance Counseling and/or Master Promissory Note requirement. If needed, the items will be added to your To Do List and you will receive an email notification.
If you decline your Direct Loan(s) and later decide to reinstate them, you must submit a Direct Loan Change Form to our office.
Please Note: Once a disbursement of a Direct Loan has been made, you cannot decline the loan through the Award Package page. You must return the loan funds to the Seawolf Service Center in order to cancel the loan.
Accepting/Declining Federal Work-Study
If you wish to reduce the work-study award or only accept one semester, you must first accept it and then submit a Change Notification Form to our office. Declining or reducing your work-study award may increase your eligibility for Direct Loan (subsidized and/or unsubsidized). If you would like us to re-evaluate your Direct Loan eligibility, please indicate so on the CNF.
IMPORTANT: Declining your work-study may result in permanent loss of the award, as the funds may be offered to the next eligible student. Reinstatement of a declined work-study award is subject to funds available at the time the request is made. Contact the Financial Aid Office to request reinstatement.
PLUS (Parent) Loan
If you want the PLUS (Parent) Loan to be included in your financial aid award, your parent or step-parent MUST apply for the PLUS Loan at studentaid.gov. More information regarding the PLUS Loan can be found on our Federal PLUS Loans webpage.
If your parent/step-parent's application for the PLUS Loan is denied, the student is eligible for additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan funding. The additional loan amount will be automatically added to your financial aid award, where you have the opportunity to accept or decline the loan.
Reinstating a Declined Loan or Increasing an Accepted Loan
If you decline a Direct Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized) and then later decide you would like to take out the loan, you will need to notify our office using the Direct Loan Change Form. The same form is used to request a decrease or increase in a requested loan amount as well.
Declining or Reducing a Loan That Has Disbursed
If you receive a disbursement of Direct Loan funds that you wish to cancel or reduce, you have 30 days from the date of disbursement to return the funds to the Seawolf Service Center, located on the first floor of Salazar Hall. If the disbursement paid charges on your student account, then you will have to pay those charges out-of-pocket if you choose not to make use of the loan funds.
Declining Your Entire Award Offer
If you will not attend SSU, please complete the "Enrollment Change" section of the Change Notification Form and return it to our office.
If you are declining your entire award offer because it consists only of student loans and you do not wish to accept the loans, you must decline it through MySSU using the Accept/Decline Awards link. Instructions for declining the loans are provided in the Accepting/Declining Your Student Loans and Federal Work-Study section.
Using Your Eligibility Summary to Review the Student Budget
Your award offer is based on how you answered certain questions on your FAFSA. Review the housing information on your FAFSA and make sure your plans have not changed. If your student housing does not match your intentions, your financial aid disbursements can be delayed.
The Eligibility Summary lists your Estimated Financial Aid Budget (also known as Cost of Attendance or COA), your calculated Expected Family Contribution (EFC), your Estimated Need, your Total Aid, and your calculated Remaining Need. These terms and calculations are explained in the Explanation of Terms in Your Eligibility Summary.
Using the Eligibility Summary information, please review how we constructed your financial aid award offer. Items to check are your:
- Housing plans while attending SSU
- Residency status for tuition and fee purposes
Your Housing Plans While Attending SSU
The Estimated Financial Aid Budget listed in your Eligibility Summary is based on the housing plans you reported when you filed your financial aid application. If your plans have changed, you must submit the Change Notification Form to our office.
Please Note: If you reported on your financial aid application that you are living on campus, we will confirm with the Housing Office prior to disbursement of your awards. If you changed your plans but did not notify us, your disbursement may be delayed until you submit the Housing Clarification Form or Change Notification Form to our office. Please allow at least 10 business days for processing. Avoid delays by checking our housing assumption and promptly notifying us if your plans change.
By clicking on the dollar amount of the Estimated Financial Aid Budget, you may view a breakdown showing each component of the budget. Please review the chart below to find the housing assumption based on the dollar amount for Room and Board in your budget.
2023-2024 Housing Options
| If your Housing and Food amount is: | We assume you will live: |
|---|---|
| $9,715 per semester | Off Campus |
| $8,010 per semester | On Campus |
| $4,741 per semester | With Parents |
Your Residency Status for Tuition and Fee Purposes
Check your California Residency for tuition and fee purposes. Please note: This section does not apply to Extended Education students.
You can confirm if your award offer is based on the cost of tuition and fees for a California resident by reviewing the dollar amount listed for Fees in your Estimated Financial Aid Budget Breakdown. If you believe you are a California resident for tuition and fee purposes, but your Fees amount per semester does not match the table below, please contact the Office of Admissions regarding your California Residency status to ensure you are being charged fees as an in-state student.
California Resident Tuition and Fee Costs
| Resident Student Academic Classification | California Resident Tuition/Fees Per Semester |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | $4,095 |
| Initial Credential | $4,554 |
| Graduate/Post-baccalaureate | $4,812 |
| Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) |
$5,531 |
Explanation of Terms in Your Eligibility Summary
Estimated Financial Aid Budget
The Estimated Financial Aid Budget, also referred to as the student budget or Cost of Attendance (COA) is a standard estimated total of your expenses while attending school. Except for registration fees and the books, course materials, supplies and equipment allowance, the budget components may vary according to whether you will be living off campus, on campus, or with parents while attending school. Your COA is based on our estimate of typical expenses students encounter during the academic year. The estimated COA is the basis for your overall financial aid award package. Some students are eligible for enough funds from different financial aid programs (including loan programs) to equal their estimated COA. Other students are eligible for less and might find that there is a significant gap between the estimated COA and the total of the awards listed in their award offer.
Expected Family Contribution
Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) was calculated by the FAFSA processor according to a formula established by your congressional representatives in the federal House and Senate. If your parents were required to provide their financial information on your FAFSA, then their income and assets were considered in calculating your EFC. If not, then only your income and assets (and those of your spouse, if applicable) were considered in calculating your EFC. Your EFC is not the amount you will pay to the University to attend school. Instead, your EFC represents an index of your financial strength and your ability to contribute to your own educational expenses from your income or assets (and those of your spouse or parents, if applicable) or by borrowing through student and parent loan programs.
Estimated Need
The numerical difference between your Estimated Financial Aid Budget and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is called your Estimated Need. We used your EFC and your Estimated Need to determine your eligibility for certain need-based federal and state financial aid programs.
Total Aid
The sum of the offered amounts of your financial aid awards is your Total Aid.
Remaining Need
The numerical difference between your Estimated Need and your Total Aid is your Remaining Need. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you wish to learn about student or parent loan programs that you might have previously declined, or to find out if you may be able to meet some or all of your Remaining Need through a private, alternative educational loan program.
Necessary Next Steps to Confirm and Receive Awards
Check Your FAFSA Student Aid Report or CA Dream Application Confirmation Page
Follow all instructions in the messages from the processor of your financial aid application. If any information (especially income, taxes paid, household size, and number in college) is missing or incorrect, make the corrections immediately as they may result in changes to your award offer.
Follow Up Promptly on Any Requests for Additional Documentation
Respond promptly to any requests we make for additional documentation. If any documents are required, you will receive a To Do List Notification email. Review the required items in your To Do List carefully and follow all instructions. Instructions for viewing your To Do List through MySSU are located in the Using MySSU section of the Help Book.
Documentation requirements may change after further review of your application information. Watch for additional requests and respond promptly to them. If you do not submit requested documentation by the stated deadline, your award offer may be cancelled. See the To Do List Notifications for more information. Further review of documentation may result in changes to your award offer. If changes are made, you will receive a modified award offer email notification.
Report Any Additional Financial Resources Not Listed in Your Award Offer
You must notify our office of any resource you will receive that is not currently listed in your award offer as viewed through MySSU. Instructions for viewing your award offer are located in the Viewing Your Award Using MySSU section.
Resources are any source of funding given to you or to the University on your behalf from any agency or organization, including scholarships, sponsors, and fee waivers. The only exception to the requirement to report resources is for veteran’s educational benefits (not counting fee waivers for eligible dependents). To notify us of resources, submit the Change Notification Form to the Financial Aid Office.
Enrollment Conditions and Disbursement Requirements
Your financial aid awards have enrollment conditions that you must understand. Many awards have additional disbursement requirements that must be fulfilled. Carefully review the section below and check the Award Details page for each of the awards in your Award Summary. Instructions for checking the Award Details page are located in the Using the Award Package Page to Accept/Decline Awards section.
Enrollment Conditions
You must enroll in and attend classes in order to receive and maintain eligibility for your financial aid awards. Thoroughly review the Enrollment section of the Help Book to understand how changes in enrollment may affect the amount you receive from some awards, and what will happen if you:
- Do not begin attendance in classes
- Drop or withdraw from some of your courses
- Withdraw from the University
Additional Disbursement Requirements
Many awards have additional disbursement requirements explained in the Disbursement Requirements section of the Help Book.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
In order to maintain financial aid eligibility, students must make sufficient progress toward their degree. Make sure you understand SAP standards by reading the information found on the Satisfactory Academic Progress page on our website.